Finding someone’s Facebook profile using just their phone number is possible, but it requires a bit of detective work. Facebook itself does not provide a direct way to search for users by phone number for privacy reasons. However, there are still a few methods you can try to find a Facebook ID from a phone number.
Search on Facebook
The most straightforward way is to simply search for the person’s name on Facebook. Type their full name into the Facebook search bar and see if their profile comes up. If you don’t know their full name, try searching for just their first name in combination with their city or other info you may know about them.
If the person’s profile is not set to public, you may not be able to see their profile or send a friend request without being connected on Facebook already. But this search method can at least tell you if they have a Facebook account.
Use Facebook Search By Phone Number
Facebook does not have an official feature that allows searching by phone number. However, there are some third-party websites and apps that claim to offer this capability by scraping Facebook’s user data.
Two examples are TruthFinder and Spy Dialer. Both are free reverse phone lookup services that state they can find a person’s Facebook profile using just a phone number.
To use these services, simply enter the phone number you want to search. If the number is associated with someone’s Facebook account, it may return their name and profile link. However, results can be hit or miss as Facebook actively works to block such sites from accessing user data.
Use Other Social Media Sites
If you can’t find the person directly on Facebook, try searching for them on other social networks using their phone number. Some sites like Twitter allow searching for users by phone number.
You can also try a true people search site like Spokeo which aggregates various social media profiles, contact info, and public records. Enter the phone number on Spokeo and see if it returns a name and any associated social media accounts.
Once you have a name, search for that name again on Facebook. Or if you find their profile on another social media site, look for any links or references to a Facebook account.
Ask Mutual Connections
If your phone number search comes up empty, think about who you may both know in common. Reach out to any mutual connections or friends who may have that person as a Facebook friend already.
You can ask your mutual connections to check if the phone number is associated with the person’s Facebook account. Or simply ask them to share a link to the person’s Facebook profile, if privacy settings allow it.
Send a Text
As a last resort, you can try sending a text to the phone number directly. Introduce yourself politely and say you came across their phone number and wanted to connect on Facebook.
This is certainly the most direct method. But be aware the person may not appreciate an unsolicited text from a stranger. Make your request courteous and don’t overstep any boundaries.
Limitations of Finding Facebook by Phone Number
While the methods above may work, there are some key limitations to be aware of:
- The phone number may be outdated or belong to someone else now.
- The person may not have a Facebook account at all.
- Facebook profiles may be set to private or unsearchable.
- Third-party sites have limited data and are not 100% reliable.
- The phone number owner may not want to connect or share info with strangers.
Facebook purposefully makes it difficult to search by phone number to protect user privacy. There is no foolproof way to guarantee finding someone’s profile this way. Proceed with caution and restraint when attempting to connect with someone you don’t know well.
Is It Possible to Create a Facebook Account with Just a Phone Number?
While finding an existing Facebook account from a phone number can be tricky, what about creating a new Facebook account using nothing but a phone number?
The short answer is no. Facebook requires more identifying information beyond just a phone number to create a new account. Here are the key details:
Minimum Info Needed for a Facebook Account
To sign up for a new Facebook account, you must provide:
- Your full name
- Your email address or mobile number
- Date of birth
- Gender
A phone number by itself is not enough. Facebook’s policy states you must use your real identity when creating an account.
Receiving a Security Code
During the sign up process, Facebook will send a unique 6-digit security code to the email or phone number provided. This code must be entered correctly before the account can be accessed.
So it is possible to use a phone number to receive a Facebook verification code. However, a valid email, full name, birthdate, and gender are still required to actually register the account.
Creating a Page vs Personal Account
It is possible to create a Facebook Page using just a phone number, such as for a business or organization. Pages have looser identity requirements than personal accounts.
However, you cannot use a Facebook Page in the same way as a normal user profile. Pages are meant for public figures, brands, businesses – not individual personal use.
Can You Find Facebook ID from Phone Number on Mobile?
All the methods discussed above for finding someone’s Facebook ID or account from their phone number will also work on mobile devices. Here are some key points about using Facebook search on mobile:
- Use the Facebook mobile app on your iOS or Android phone to search names and numbers.
- Mobile Facebook search works the same as desktop search – no phone number lookup option.
- Access third-party reverse phone lookup sites via mobile browser to search.
- Mobile sites may have a stripped-down version – desktop has more search tools.
- Searching and contacting people is easy via Facebook’s mobile messaging.
- If found, request to add as friend or send message on mobile app.
The main limitation when searching by phone number on mobile is that third-party reverse search sites often have fewer features available on mobile. The desktop versions of TruthFinder, Spokeo, and others offer more search options.
But the Facebook app on your smartphone still makes it easy to search names, view profiles, and connect with potential matches. Overall the process works quite similarly whether you search for Facebook users by phone number on desktop or mobile.
Pros and Cons of Finding Facebook by Phone Number
Searching Facebook for someone’s profile using their phone number has some potential benefits, but also risks and downsides to consider:
Potential Pros
- Lets you make a connection request with limited info
- Can reconnect with old contacts if names forgotten
- Helpful for investigating unknown numbers contacting you
- Allows connecting people across different social sites
Potential Cons
- Can be seen as invasion of privacy
- May find incorrect or outdated profiles
- Partial info increases risk of wrong ID
- Connecting with strangers can be dangerous
- Spam risk if number is found and misused
In the right context, finding Facebook users by phone can be useful. But caution is advised when messaging strangers to avoid harassment or worse.
Conclusion
Finding someone’s Facebook profile using only a phone number is challenging but possible in some cases. The best options are searching for their name on Facebook, using third-party people search sites, contacting mutual connections, or sending a polite text.
However, Facebook intentionally limits search by phone number to protect privacy. There is no guarantee of tracing a phone to a Facebook ID. Any connections with strangers online should be done carefully and respectfully.
With the proper precautions, searching Facebook by phone can help reunite old contacts or uncover useful information about an unknown caller. But restraint and good judgement must be used when contacting people not already in your social circle.